Cops deployed at BNP office ahead of Sunday's demo

Law enforcers have been deployed in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan office since morning as BNP today announced a countrywide demonstration tomorrow for not giving permission to hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.

The party earlier decided to hold the rally today to protest the January 5, 2014 general election which it dubbed “democracy killing day”.

BNP Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed announced the programme at a press briefing at its Nayapaltan central office in Dhaka in the morning, according to Bangla daily Prothom Alo.

“We will hold demonstration programmes in every upazila, district and city and wards of Dhaka,” he said.

Police deployed near Nayapaltan office

Since morning, policemen are seen in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office and its adjacent areas.

Armored vehicle and water cannon were also positioned on nearby streets, reports the Bangla daily.

Asked about the police deployment, Kazi Shahiduzzaman, inspector of Ramna Police Station, said, “BNP yesterday announced about holding a programme here. We have intelligence information that two groups of the party may create chaos in the area. We are here to save people”.

Earlier, the party sought permission from the authorities concerned for holding the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan marking the January 5, 2014 general election.

But the party is yet to receive the permission, sources said.

Yesterday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said his party wants to hold a rally in front of Nayapaltan central office on January 7 if it is not permitted at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.

“We are prepared to hold the rally in front of our central party office if we are deprived of permission at Suhrawardy Udyan,” Fakhrul said.